Parenting program
Re-parenting!, a Kinship Care program provided by Encompass, will be held every 3rd Monday of the month at The Duvall Church from 6:30-8:30 p.m. beginning in March. Childcare provided.

2006 Cows to Community auction
The Duvall Foundation for the Arts 2006 Cows to Community auction will be Saturday, April 29 at Cherry Valley Farm in Duvall. Silent tables open at 5:30 p.m. For more information, call (425) 359-0331, or e-mail dfaauction@iglide.net. Preview selected catalog online at www.duvallarts.com.

Ceilidh dance workshop
A Ceilidh dance workshop is set for Feb. 24 in Duvall. Be ready for St. Patrick’s Day. Learn and enjoy the spirit of traditional Irish Ceilidh dancing...easy and fun; a workshop is being offered by Erin Rainey at Duvall Performing Arts, 15705 Main St. NE, Feb. 24, Friday, from 7:30-9 p.m. Your donation at the door will go to Mercy Corps. Live music by P&G’s Tuesday night session players. Erin Raney is an award-winning dancer and instructor with the Tara Academy of Irish Dance in Seattle. Please assure your place by e-mailing susanmcburke@msn.com or signing up at Duvall Performing Arts Studio.

Watercolor classes
Learn fresh approaches, mix luminous colors and achieve glowing watercolor paintings with Susan Jenkins at the Northwest Art Center. A new session meets Thursdays, starting March 2 or Saturdays, beginning March 4 for a series of five classes. All supplies included. $150. Call (425) 788-5900 to register.

Photography class
Digital Photography: Art and Technology, Instructor: Ron Bailey - Thursday evenings, March 2-April 6, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Northwest Art Center: $195/person. This highly interactive class is limited to eight students. Call 425-333-0092 or www.BaileyDigitalImages.com to register.

At the P&G
Saturday, Feb. 25, Casey Garland returns to the P&G. Casey sings about being on the river, getting back to nature and getting real. Dinner special of Chicken parmesan, spinach noodles and tossed salad. Dinner starts at 6 p.m., with the show beginning at 7 p.m. For dinner reservations, call 425-844-2766. P&G Speakeasy Café, 15614 Main St., Duvall.

Soccer information night
Cascade Select Soccer information night will be Monday, Feb. 27, 7 p.m., at Chief Kanim Middle School in Fall City. SnVYSA will sponsor an information night to introduce new players and parents to the benefits and requirements of select soccer. During the evening there will be an explanation of how the program works, costs involved and questions will be answered. Parents will also be able to pre-register their player for tryouts this evening. Please check the Web site at wwwsnvysa.org for more information (click on “Clubs” and then “Cascade Select”). For more information, please call 333-4030.

Library events
Castando Y Jugando (singing and playing) at the Carnation Library, Thursday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. This Spanish/English program features music, songs and games from Latin America.

Drums, drums, drums, at the Fall City Fire Station, Monday, March 6 at 7 p.m. Hear a wide variety of drums found throughout Africa.

Native plant sale March 11

Tolt Middle School’s Multi-Age Program, in cooperation with King County Conservation District, will be holding its fourth annual native plant sale on Saturday, March 11, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in front of the school in Carnation.

Around 2,000 available plants will range in price from $1.50 to $3 per plant. Some of the varieties available include Red-flowering currant, Indian plum, Nootka rose, Douglas-fir, Red osier dogwood, Pacific rhododendron, and Grand fir. For the first time, the Northwest’s best erosion-control groundcover, salal, will also be available for purchase.

These plants are indigenous to the Pacific Northwest region. Native plants are disease and pest resistant, which reduces the need for chemicals and fertilizers that are harmful to people’s health and the health of the watershed we live in.

Another advantage of native plants is that they tolerate extreme weather conditions. This is an opportunity to replace plants that died in last summer’s dry spell, or during this winter’s temperature fluctuations, with hardier plants that will resist intense temperatures and conditions the next time they come along. These plants can also be planted in areas of a yard where a hose or sprinkler can’t reach.

Native plants can also be planted to meet the requirements of the county for building purposes. They are inexpensive and easy to plant and grow, which makes them the perfect solution to meet permit requirements. For example, trees such as the Douglas-fir or vine maple can also be used as the glue to keep together the edges of streams, preventing erosion and keeping water temperatures at a level fish can tolerate.

Plants native to our area are also vital for the survival of our native wildlife. For example, the hummingbird relies on the nectar from the Red flowering currant while making its 2000-mile migration from South America to Canada each year.

Deer and elk also rely on a native plant, the Red osier dogwood, for food in the winter months, and may go hungry without it.

Treasured for the seasonal accents they bring to the garden, as well as the beauty and wildlife they attract, native plants are a necessity to the landscape of Western Washington. Whether it comes to replacing plants that have died out, or keeping stream edges from becoming eroded, native plants are often the best alternative. Money raised will be used to purchase technology for classrooms.

Math open houses
The Cherry Valley Math Committee is planning spring primary & intermediate math open houses. Students will teach parents how to play games and activities which solidify the “Basics,” on Tuesday, March 14, 6:30- 7:30 p.m. for primary students and parents and Wednesday, March 15 for intermediate students and parents.